No More
by sockospice
Summary: Lita finds that salvation and protection can come from the unlikeliest places. Written to exorcise the plotbunnies.


Title: No More  
Rating: T for adult themes (implied sexual/mental abuse) and coarse language  
Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters mentioned herein, and make no implication about their real lives  
Distribution: Camelot, anyone else ask first  
Summary: Sometimes you're rescued by the unlikeliest person.  
Author note: this is self confessed badfic, written because the idea was doing my head in, posted god only knows why. Reviews welcome as ever.

"No… please, not again… please no…"

He could only vaguely make out the woman's voice through the hotel room wall. He knew who it was though, because he'd seen Lita and Edge walk into that room earlier that day. He didn't think that Edge had seen him, but he knew that Lita had. She'd offered him a wan smile, which he'd returned, confused. He figured that she'd been surprised to see him, as he had, so far as she knew, no reason to be there.

Her voice interrupted his thoughts again, a little louder this time, "please Edge, please don't… I'm sorry… please…"

He didn't know what the hell was going on, but he guessed that it wasn't right. She sounded scared. And he may have been a bit of an asshole when it came to women, but he knew that no woman should be pleading like Lita was just then. And he also knew that no one should sit aside and allow a woman to be hurt.

Not entirely sure what he was getting himself into, he picked up his keycard and left his room, crossing the few yards between his room and hers in a few strides. His first knock on the door was ignored, but he persisted, his worry increasing as he heard Edge bark an order to the redhead to stay where she was.

As the door opened slightly, he pushed his way in, not willing to give Edge a chance to shut him out. He pushed the tall blond man out of his way.

"Orton, what the hell are you doing here?" Edge went to push the young man towards the door, only to have him stand his ground.

"I heard Lita, I don't know what's going on but that shit isn't right. She sounded terrified." He looked over to the the bed, where Lita lay, She'd pulled the covers up over her and was clutching them to her, seeking their protection, although it was far from clear who she felt she needed protecting from. She'd obviously been crying though, "Lita? What's happened? You OK?"

She shook her head as more tears fell down her cheeks. Edge looked at her in disgust, "she's fine."

"No, she isn't," Randy wasn't the smartest person ever, but even he could see that.

"She just likes it rough, don't ya babe? Enjoys a bit of play acting, likes it when I pretend to force her,"

"You do force me you bastard… I don't fucking enjoy it you know that," she screamed at him, sobbing bitterly, "you're fucking sick."

"And I'm also the only one who would put up with a slut like you, so shut the fuck up while I kick this prick's ass for disturbing our fun," Edge spat the words at her, and missed Randy's fist aimed squarely at his jaw. The shot was aimed well and was thrown with enough force to knock Edge out cold.

Randy rubbed his hand ruefully, all of a sudden wondering what he'd got himself into. He looked over at Lita and knew that, whatever it was, he'd done the right thing here. The woman looked terrified.

"Lita?"

She stared at Edge's prone body in shock, "is he out cold?"

"Yeah."

"Shit, he's gonna be so angry when he comes round… what am I gonna do?"

"Come with me. We'll go check in to another hotel, we'll worry about everything else later." It was impulsive but the only thing he could think of right now. They couldn't go back to Randy's room; that would be the first place Edge would look when he came round. The only thing that was certain was that there was no way that Lita could stay with him.

"I… OK I'm gonna need to pack and everything, I need… could I have your T shirt?" She bit her lip, not entirely sure why Randy Orton was here and doing this, but glad that he was.

He pulled the T-shirt over his head and handed it to her, turning away and grabbing a suitcase, "this one yours?"

"Yeah," as his back was turned, she let the bedcovers slip and put the T-shirt on, grateful that Randy was a tall guy, as it covered enough of her to allow her to get out of bed.

"I'll start packing your stuff, you go sort yourself out, yeah?" He started picking up any clothes that looked like they belonged to a female and threw them into the case. He didn't want to think about anything else, just getting the hell out of there.

"Thanks," she picked up some clothes and ran over to the bathroom, out of habit locking the door behind her. Once inside she went into autopilot, dressing and washing her face, as she always did. This time it was different though. This was the last time.

They eventually found a hotel with vacancies, but it was late by the time they got up to the room. They hadn't spoken since they'd left Edge, pretty much still out of it; Lita had withdrawn into herself, somewhat nervous and afraid, and Randy wasn't really sure what to say to her.

He dropped her bags on one side of the room and looked over to the redhead. "Lita? You wanna tell me what I've got myself into?"

"Not really," she sat down on one of the beds, a dazed look on her face, "I've gone through it every night for months, I really don't want to relive it again."

Randy knelt down in front of her, "ok, I understand that… I just need to know what I'm getting myself into here."

"You're not getting yourself into anything. Thank you for what you did… but that's it. You don't need to do anything else," she looked away from him, "I'll be ok."

"Will you? Lita, you're still shaking," he took her hand and squeezed it gently, "I don't know what the hell he's been doing to you but the last thing you need right now is to be on your own. Is there anyone I can call? Anything I can do?"

"No one… no one after what he's done. They won't…I can't…" Her resolve broke and she started sobbing, not even noticing as he pulled her into his arms, stroking her back softly, whispering comforting words, even though he had little idea of what he was doing or why. He'd come to this city to catch up with a few old friends, figuring if he was suspended, he may as well make the most of the time off. He'd never expected something like this to happen, and he'd never expected to be spending the evening with a crying redhead in his arms. But he was, and he was slowly starting to realise that this was a situation he couldn't just walk away from, no matter how much she wanted him to.

Eventually the sobs subsided and she grew silent, but didn't move from his arms. She needed the comfort right now, even if it was from this man who she hardly even knew. It was the first time she'd felt safe in a long, long time, and she didn't want to lose that feeling, not yet.

"Thank you," she murmured, "I don't know why you're here, or why you helped me, but thank you."

"I… I heard you," he whispered, still not letting go of her, "and I couldn't just sit there and hear that… I'm a grade A dumbass, but I knew things weren't right."

"Why were you there? He usually books us in at a different hotel to everyone else, so no one hears… so no one knows…" she bit her lip, still reluctant to articulate what she'd been through.

"I have a few friends live here, I thought I'd surprise them in the morning. I didn't realise the Raw crew was in town. I'm suspended right now… so I'm kind of out of touch," Randy took the opportunity to move to sit up next to her on the bed, keeping his arms around her. She seemed to appreciate him being there, and he was happy to be there as long as it took.

"I saw you… earlier on," Lita's voice was soft and shaking, very different to how he'd ever heard it before, "I wondered… why you were there… then when I heard knocking at the door… I knew it would be you… and I hoped, oh god I hoped…"

"It's ok now though."

"It isn't though, it really isn't. I still have to work with him… as soon as you go… it'll be worse, this is only one night's relief… and as much as I thank you for it, it will never be ok."

He wondered exactly what had happened to destroy the spirit of the woman in front of him, this woman who had once been feisty and confident. "There has to be something we can do."

"We? There is no 'we' Randy, he's made sure of that. He's made sure that whatever friends I might have had are gone."

"No," Randy forced a small smile, and touched her cheek, "I'm here… and I know we don't know each other all that well… I'm here, and I'll stay here."

"Why?"

"Why not? Lita honey, I'm suspended for 60 days, let me travel with you while we work something out."

"I can't."

"You can. Look, I have no idea what I'm getting into here, but do you really think I can just walk away from you now? Hell Lita, I may be a bit of a prick but I'm not just going to sit here and let you go back to him," Lita flinched at the anger in Randy's voice, and he cursed himself for shouting at her, "look, I'm sorry for shouting… I care, ok? Let me care."

She took a deep breath and nodded, deciding that accepting this offer was the only thing she could do right now. She wasn't sure why Randy cared, but at this time, she was just glad that he did. "Thank you."

He smiled at her, sadly, "I'm not gonna ask… I'm not gonna pry… but if you ever want to talk about… stuff…"

"Thanks," she didn't know why, but she felt like she needed something from Randy right now. Looking up at him, she leaned forward and gently kissed his lips, her small hand coming up to touch his cheek.

"Li…" he caught her wrist and held it, pulling away from her, "what are you doing?"

"I need you, Randy." She closed her eyes and tried to stop another tear falling, "I need someone to touch me… I need someone to make me feel real again, someone to make me feel like a person and not a fucking sex object… please Randy…"

"You know what you're asking me Li?" Randy was shocked, to say the least.

"Yeah… I know," she looked away sadly, already knowing his answer. After what Edge had done to her over the last few months, what man would want her? What man would want her ever again, after that? After experiencing his hateful touch for longer than she could ever have imagined in her worst nightmares, all she wanted was for a man to look at her with desire, and need, not to see her as damaged goods, but to see her as the person she used to be. She looked back up at Randy and hated herself for the confusion in his eyes, "I shouldn't have, I'm sorry."

"No, don't be sorry," he forced a smile and kept the eye contact with her, "don't be sorry for asking me, just please understand me when I tell you it's not that I don't want to… just that it wouldn't be right, not now."

"What do you mean?"

"Lita, you're gorgeous, and sexy, and any man would have to be a fool to turn you down, but you've been through so much… and I'd just feel like I was taking advantage of you."

"You mean no man would want damaged goods like me."

"No," Randy sighed, realising that Edge hadn't just been abusing this woman physically, he'd destroyed her self esteem too, "Li… you're not damaged goods, you're not."

"Then why don't you want me?"

"I do… but I can't. This isn't about me not wanting to have sex with you, because god knows you're a beautiful, smart, sexy woman; this is about me wanting to do what's right. Li, can we… compromise or something?" He caressed her cheek gently, seeking her consent.

"How?"

"Let me… just…" Randy was tongue-tied now, unsure of what to say, "sleep with me. Sleep, nothing more. Let me just hold you and keep you safe."

Tears filled her eyes again. Sleep and safety were two things that had been too often absent from her life recently. She nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder, "thank you."

"No need to thank me Li. I'll keep you safe, I promise."


End file.
